


best night ever

by oktavia (orphan_account)



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3151793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/oktavia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'll marry you, Alvin, I'll marry you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	best night ever

The party was long and loud; the only thing that surprised Jude more than winning the Howe Prize was how happy everyone was for him. Truthfully, he didn't think his friends cared all _that_ much about his academic pursuits, especially Alvin, who was thick and oblivious to the intricacies of his work.

Alvin didn't just know about his winning ahead of time (Jude wonders how in the name of Maxwell that was possible), but actually gathered all their friends so they could watch his acceptance. He even hosted the afterparty.

Everyone went home at an hour skirting tomorrow, which left Alvin and Jude to clean up the mess. It was cumbersome, but Jude didn't mind. He was still revelling in the magic of the night, and was so happy that he couldn't even be bothered to mind the cans and plastic cups and paper plates strewn about. His and Alvin's carpet would need a good shampooing in the morning, but Jude didn't care.

It was the best night of his life, and he couldn't imagine it getting better.

"Look at you, all smiles over there," Alvin says over his shoulder as he ties a trashbag.

"I can't help it. Tonight was just..." Jude trails off, his smile growing brighter. "It was so _perfect._ "

Alvin chuckles before straightening. "Yeah. I'm glad you had a good time. You don't know how proud we are of you."

Jude's cheeks blossom a slight pink, and he averts his gaze, instead focusing on the tower of cups he'd been deconstructing. He doesn't know what to say, can't brush it off as no big deal as he usually would. No, he just made his lifelong dream come true-- there's no way he could dismiss it.

"Thank you," is all he manges, his words soft and shy and still unbelieving of the plaque hanging above their mantle.

Alvin drags the trashbag behind him as he stands next to Jude, and gives him a soft, affectionate smile with a tilt of his head so he can watch the smaller man's face.

"You've come a really long way, haven't you," Alvin murmurs distantly, more to himself than anything.

Jude's blush fades, but his smile doesn't. "So have you, you know."

Alvin shakes his head. "Nah, not really."

Jude looks up, bambi eyes blinking in confusion. It's been a long time since he's heard Alvin indulge in self-deprecating thoughts. It feels like lifetimes ago because of how happy and perfect everything in their lives has been.

"What are you talking about?" Jude asks with a tilt of his head, expression turning into one of concern.

Alvin smiles, cheeky and teasing, before leaning down to kiss Jude. When he pulls away, he makes a noise of amusement. "I'm still crazy about you, aren't I?"

Jude had melted into the warmth of the kiss and nearly missed Alvin's words, but he catches them in time to shake his head good-naturedly.

"You're definitely crazy, Alvin."

Alvin just laughs and kisses Jude again and they both end up laughing, and Jude swears this is the best night of his life and that he'll never be happier. This is it, this is what heaven and perfection and dreams coming true feels like. This is it.

Alvin nudges Jude's temple with the tip of his nose like a mutt nuzzling its mate. "Way back when, you'd always brush stuff like this off and say crap like "Oh, it's not a big deal.""

Jude chuckles sheepishly. "Yeah, I remember that. You really hated when I did that."

Alvin straightens, stretching his back out.

"It's different now, though. We've all changed. I really believe that I'm a winner now, and tonight... Tonight just proves it."

Jude beams up at Alvin, positively radiant, and Alvin swears he needs to squint or look away because Jude is far too dazzling for his own good.

Despite Jude's brightness, Alvin doesn't turn away, even leans down to kiss him again instead. "You're not the only winner here, you know. I'm damn lucky to be with someone like you."

Jude leans up to initiate a kiss this time, long and lingering and ardent. He doesn't let Alvin escape when they break apart for air, and takes another chaste one on his way drawing back.

"Come on, Alvin. Don't talk like that."

Alvin grins, though Jude can't help but think there's something sheepish about the crookedness of his smile.

"Hey, I mean it. My man just won the _Howe Prize._ I'd say I hit the jackpot."

Jude just laughs and bumps his shoulder against Alvin's side, before looking up at him with adoring eyes that are just as wondrous and sweet as they were when he was young and still very much in love with the man beside him.

"On that front, I'd say I'm lucky too."

Jude makes an inquisitive noise when Alvin draws away slightly to stand before him. The little noise turns into a full-fledged Uhhh when he watches Alvin drop to his knees.

"Alvin...?"

"Jude," Alvin says in a low voice, reaching for his mate's hand. "I mean it. I'm damn lucky to have you."

Jude doesn't know what to say, so he stays quiet and watches Alvin. He's visibly confused.

"You beat a lot of sense into me over the years, but to tell you the truth, I still think I'm no good sometimes."

"I know," Jude says, his own voice quiet. "I don't expect you to be perfect."

Alvin reaches forward to pry a plastic cup from Jude's hand, and squeezes the vacant extremity once it's empty.

"I know. I never felt like I had to be. You're really somethin' else, you know that? You deserve perfect. You deserve your Howe Prize. You deserve so _damn much,_ Jude," Alvin continues, his intent gaze fixed on Jude's pale hand.

"You're starting to scare me, Alvin," Jude says, giving the man a shaky smile.

Alvin chuckles and shrugs noncomitally. "Hey, let me finish. _Then_ you can decide if you want to head for the hills or not."

Jude is about to make a retort about dragging Alvin to the mountains with him so they can live with the bears, but Alvin's attention is turned away from him in favor of fishing something out of his coat pocket.

It's a dark blue box, covered in velvet. Jude knows intellectually what it is and what is in it, but he still doesn't understand what's happening at the moment.

Alvin lifts the hand still holding Jude's to his lips and presses a long, ardent kiss to the back of it. He drops another kiss to Jude's ring finger before looking up at him. The reverence and adoration in his eyes makes Jude feel like he's the only person across two worlds who matters. His heart could burst from the pure _love_ in Alvin's expression.

"Jude," Alvin says, voice barely above a whisper. "I know I'm not perfect, but I still want you to marry me."

Jude nods without Alvin even saying anything, but Alvin asks anyway.

"Will you?"

Alvin releases Jude's hand to pull the lid of the box back, and sure enough there's an engagement ring inside. It looks terribly expensive, and in the back of his mind Jude wonders how long Alvin had to save to be able to afford it, but he doesn't voice any of his concerns because he's too busy trying not to cry.

Instead, he nods mindlessly, smile growing brighter and brighter. In spite of his efforts, tears do spring to the corners of his eyes. "You don't need to ask, Alvin, of course I'll marry you."

Now Alvin is the one who doesn't know what to say, so he takes the engagement ring and slides it onto Jude's promise finger. It's a perfect fit.

"I'll marry you, Alvin, I'll marry you," Jude starts rambling and ends up dropping to his knees to throw his arms around Alvin's broad shoulders, clutching to him as if for dear life. Alvin is quick to return the gesture with just as much ardor, squeezing Jude and burying his face in the curve of his neck and shoulder, and they just hold each other as Jude continues to nod.

"I love you, Alvin, I love you," Jude murmurs over and over again, and he can't stop nodding and crying.

"Me too, Jude. I love you," is all Alvin can manage. He sounds like he wants to cry too, and Jude would let him because they've come so far and been through so much, Alvin has worked so hard and they're so _happy_ now that it's the least he deserves.


End file.
